This article was co-authored by Jonas DeMuro, MD. Dr. DeMuro is a Board Certified Pediatric Critical Care Surgeon in New York. He received his MD from Stony Brook University School of Medicine in 1996.

There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

Yikes! You've got a cut and it looks pretty nasty. Sometimes it's hard to tell if the open wound is in need of stitches, which help it heal properly and reduce scarring. If you're not sure whether or not it deserves stitching and want to save yourself an unnecessary trip to the hospital if it doesn't, here are some helpful tips and methods you can use to find out if your open wound is really in need of serious medical attention.

Steps

Part 1

Reasons You Should Visit the Doctor Immediately

1

Try to stop the bleeding as well as you can. Elevate the injured body part above the level of the heart, as this can help to diminish bleeding. Use a clean cloth or slightly damp paper towel, and apply firm pressure to the open wound for about 5 minutes.[1] Then, remove the cloth or paper towel to check if it's still bleeding.

If it's bleeding is significant, do not proceed to any other steps and go to the hospital immediately.[2]

If the bleeding is uncontrollable, or blood is gushing from the wound, call emergency services immediately, as this can be life threatening.

2

Check if an object is lodged in the area of the wound. If there is foreign material present in the injury, it is always important to see a doctor right away.[3] This is because of the risk of infection, the need to assess if and how the object can be removed safely, as well as the possibility of needing stitches.

Do not try to remove the object. Sometimes the object helps to stop the wound from bleeding excessively. If there is anything stuck in the wound, you should see a doctor in the emergency room immediately.[4]

3

See a doctor immediately if the cut has been caused by a human or animal bite. These cuts pose a much higher risk of infection, you may need to be vaccinated for prevention, and receive antibiotics, so regardless of whether stitches are needed you should seek professional medical help.[5]

4

Consider the area of the injury. If the cut is on the face, the hands, the mouth, or the genitals it is important to be seen by a doctor, as you may need stitching for cosmetic reasons and proper healing.[6]

Part 2

Knowing When a Cut Needs Stitches

1

Understand why stitches are used. Stitches have a multitude of uses. The most common reasons to get stitches are:[7]

To close a wound that is too big to be closed otherwise. Using stitches to bring the edges of the wound together can help to speed up healing.

To prevent infection. If you have a large, gaping wound, closing it with stitches can help to minimize the risk of infection (as skin that is broken open, especially large, gaping wounds, are a prime target for an infection to enter the body).

To prevent or reduce scarring after your wound heals. This is especially important when the cut is on areas of the body that are more cosmetically important, such as the face.

2

Consider the depth of the wound. If it is greater than 1/4 inch deep, the wound may be eligible for stitching. If it's deep enough that you can see yellow fatty tissue, or even bone, you should definitely see a doctor for treatment.[8]

3

Evaluate the width of the wound. Are the edges of the wound close together, or do they need to be pulled together to cover the exposed tissue? If the edges of the wound need to be pulled together to cover a gap of exposed tissue, this is an indication that stitches may be required. By pulling the edges of the wound close enough to where they can touch, stitches can help to speed healing.[9]

4

Look at the location of the wound. If the open wound is located on a specific area of the body where there is a lot of movement involved, it will most likely need stitching to prevent re-opening of the wound caused by movement and stretching of the skin. For example, an open wound on the knee joint or fingers (especially where joints connect) would be eligible for stitches whereas an open wound on the thigh would not really need stitching.[10]

5

Ask your doctor about getting a tetanus shot. Tetanus shots last no longer than 10 years and then you'll have to be re-vaccinated. If you have an open wound and it's been longer than 10 years since you've had a tetanus shot, go to the hospital.[11]

While you are at the hospital, you can have the doctor evaluate the cut also to see if it will need stitching.

Any cut that is so deep that it involves the skull or brain tissue would definitely need to be seen immediately at the hospital for assessment by a neurosurgeon. It would also require imaging, such as a head CT. This is a medical emergency and should be treated without delay. It is not something you can figure out or treat on your own.

I've left mine for more then 6 hours and it has reached fatty tissue. My wound is flat and wide because the fat has popped up to fill in the gap. I don't want to get stitches because I'm afraid of needles, so what can I do?

Community Answer

You have to go get help. I understand the fear of needles but if you don't go get the wound looked at, it could get an infection and that would only make things worse. Please go see a doctor.

Do I need stitches for a small cut that isn't deep if it is on my forehead?

Community Answer

Head injuries tend to bleed a lot. If yours isn't, you're pretty lucky, but you should go to a medical professional if you are having doubts. Stitches can reduce scarring that may occur if you don't get stitched.

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Tips

People say getting stitches doesn't hurt. While the stitching doesn't, the shots they use to number the area are actually a little painful. Just be prepared for that. When getting stitches be prepared to have the small margin of error where the stitches made bust causing everything going to hurt more, and the wound having a possibility of getting larger. If you get stitches, make sure to be extremely careful!

If you're still not sure whether or not your wound needs to be stitched and seen by a doctor, you should always go to the hospital just to be safe.

If scarring is a problem for you, then you should go to the hospital for stitches as they can prevent extreme scarring and help wounds heal correctly.

Warnings

Always get to the hospital if there is uncontrollable or persistent bleeding or the wound is contaminated.

Always keep up to date with vaccinations and shots to prevent severe infections and disease.

If you or someone near you has a deep cut, start by putting pressure on the wound for 5 minutes with a clean cloth. If the bleeding doesn't stop, call emergency services immediately. However, even if the bleeding does stop, check to see if the wound is greater than ¼ inch deep or if it's so wide that the edges need to be pulled together to cover the gap of exposed tissue. If this is the case, you'll need stitches as well. You should also consider the site of the wound, since cuts on areas where there’s a lot of movement, like a knee joint, typically need stitches to prevent re-opening. For more tips from our Medical co-author, like how to determine if you need a tetanus shot, keep reading!

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Article Info

This article was co-authored by Jonas DeMuro, MD. Dr. DeMuro is a Board Certified Pediatric Critical Care Surgeon in New York. He received his MD from Stony Brook University School of Medicine in 1996.

"Cut my finger on my ceramic knife at home. This has happened before but it would not stop bleeding. Thought I might need stitches, but that meant waking up family members to ask for a ride. I read the article and got the bleeding to stop. After that I saw it wasn't very deep and bandaged it myself. It's fine now."..." more

AO

Anna Marie Ortega

Apr 20, 2017

"I just cut my pinky finger, it bled for a long time. The cut is deeper in the middle and I feel it needs stitches. Went to ER, an intern looked at it and said probably not. I'm not satisfied with that answer so this is why I went to Google. Thank you."..." more

Rated this article:

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C. J. Reed

Aug 2, 2016

"Yes, it's very helpful. I got a long knife cut on my finger and wasn't sure if I needed stitches. After reading this article, I believe I might not need stitches. Will see in a little while. Very informative, thank you."..." more

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Larry Hall

Nov 28, 2016

"After reading this article, I decided to go to the ER for a dog bite on my hand that was bleeding profusely. Glad I did. Doctor said bites often result in serious infections and other complications. "..." more

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Debra Greco

Aug 1, 2016

"I was panicking about a cut on my finger, but this article really helped me calm down and realize I didn't need stitches."..." more

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Genine Van Hoorn

Aug 4, 2016

"This not only answered my questions regarding wounds that need stitches, but also helped with caring for the wound."

AT

A. Tyler

Aug 18, 2016

"It helped a lot, because my son cut his finger on the sharp edge of a can."